McLennan County court imposes burn ban, gives county judge authority to lift it

The McLennan County Commissioners Court voted March 3 to impose a temporary burn ban and to give the county judge authority to lift the ban if conditions change.

Emergency management staff told the court the county’s average fire-danger index was 336 and that the department normally waits until roughly 550–575 before recommending a burn ban. "Our county average is 336; we generally want to wait until about 550 575 before we start to recommend a burn ban," emergency management said, and pointed to a forecast showing significant rain coming this week and over the weekend.

Commissioners who supported the restriction said they were responding to phone calls from constituents in drier corners of the county and that the judge must retain the ability to rescind the order quickly if rain arrives. One commissioner argued for acting now with the option of removing the ban later: "If you put it on, you can always take it off tomorrow," a commissioner said.

After a motion to impose the ban and a second, the court recorded the following votes: Commissioner Smith — I (yes); Commissioner Wilson — I (yes); County Judge — Nay; Commissioner Jones — I (yes); Commissioner Perry — opposed. The motion carried and the court granted the county judge the authority to remove the burn ban should conditions improve.

The court said it will still rely on emergency-management data in deciding future adjustments and noted that the judge has statutory authority to convene an emergency session if an imminent threat emerges.